As we forgive our debtors . . . Matthew 6:12 The first three requests in the model prayer are all Godward. They involve God’s name, God’s kingdom, and God’s will. In the rest of the prayer, we are instructed to pray about our concerns. First is daily bread, and then comes the matter of our...
If any man hear my voice . . . Revelation 3:20 Prayer is two-way communication. Rosalind Rinker said, “Prayer is dialogue between two people who love each other.” It takes two people for prayer—one who speaks and one who listens. Neither party dominates the conversation. God not only listens to our prayers, but He also speaks to...
Clean hands, and a pure heart . . . Psalm 24:4 Our entrance into God’s presence must be preceded by cleansing. God’s holiness makes this cleansing protocol mandatory. Habakkuk says that God’s eyes are too pure to behold evil and mischief (see Hab. 1:13). David wrote, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?...
Enter . . . his courts with praise. Psalm 100:4 Praise is response to greatness. That’s why the Bible tells us to “enter his courts with praise . . . and bless his name” (Ps. 100:4). God is to be approached with praise, applause, and acclaim. His worthiness demands our praise. His grace calls for praise....
Hallowed be thy name. Matthew 6:9 The model prayer, commonly referred to as the Lord’s prayer, is one place in Scripture where we find guiding principles to pray through. More accurately, it should be titled the disciples’ prayer, or the model prayer, because it contains elements that the Lord never needed to pray, such as “Forgive...
Come unto me . . . and learn of me. Matthew 11:28–29 Jesus invited the weary to partner with Him in His redemptive purpose: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and...